Shirushi: Aburame extraordinaire
by Nilinara
Summary: I have never loved bugs, but I have never hated them or feared them either. However, from the day those dreams became my reality they have been my constant companions. Self-Insert
1. Chapter 1: The Begining of a Dream

**Shirushi: Aburame extraordinaire**

**Chapter 1: The Beginning of a Dream**

I don't really remember exactly when it all started. My only guess was that it was some kind of self-insert. Of all the self-inserts I have read it always seemed to begin with being reborn/reincarnated or in a few cases switching places with a character or somehow being sucked throw some kind of portal.

So many fics and I still had no idée where my own experience fit into it all. When all was said and done it could only be dreams caused by reading to many of those fics.

As I said it started with dreams even if I don't really remember when it started but I know the first dream was about being reborn and that was only because it was so weird. Not weird as in ordinary dreams are (I have had my fair share of those as well) but how often do you dream up being born with so many details when you have no memory of a real birth is beyond me.

After that first one they kept coming, every time I went to sleep I would have new one. The thing that made them strange was that they did not come at random but chronological. All in all it was like living a double life. Pffh… a double life like a newborn and a university student.

It was nothing exciting really, the 'dreams' (if they really where dreams) of being a newborn where blurry and boring so I pretty much ignored them and continued with my ordinary life as a college student. I studied to be a teacher in geography if you're interested,

My name when 'awake' was Erika Ek but in my dream my name was Shirushi. The same dag I woke up from learning I searched the meanings of Japanese names on the internet (Shirushi sounded Japanese to me) and what I found said Shirushi stood for proof or something like that, who know how reliable the source was. Too bad no matter I did I seemed unable to control 'my' body in the dreams in the beginning which said dreams even more boring, even if I somehow learned to speak Japanese fluently (and wasn't that a weird experience).

Years flew by and by the time I had finished my university studies (around four-five years later) and trying to find my first job. It was at that time I had learned a lot of things about my life in the dreams.

The first one was that my full name was Shirushi Aburame and as the surname suggested to those into manga/anime I was now a member of a bug using ninja clan. My parents in my 'ninja' life had even had me started on chakra control exercises, they were essential for being able to use the bugs. After all it would be pretty pathetic for an Aburame to die of chakra exhaustion because your own bugs eat the last of your chakra.

I did not have my hive just yet, my body was still developing the 'ability' of my body so I could house them in the future and I would soon bet my hive in a month or two.

Another thing I learned was that I had an older brother, and no it was not Shino.

**AN: My first self-insert ****. Will be updated when I have time and inspiration (wroth this on an odd fit of inspiration and wrote until I finished the first chapter.**

**No beta.**

**P.S. can you guess who her brother is?**


	2. Chapter 2: My Brother, I and the Snake

**Shirushi: Aburame extraordinaire**

**Chapter 2: My brother, I and the starring snake **

"Nii-san!"

I wasn't really scouting, the bugs don't enjoy high sounds but it was a close thing.

My brother apparently heard me anyway because he entered my room only a few minutes later. I was four at this time and finally, FINALLY I could control this 'dream' body as well as I could my real one and I would not let it go to waste.

With the best smile I could manage in this young form (smiling did not come natural to any Aburame sadly) and held my arms up, begging my brother to lift me up. He was fourteen years older than me (I don't know why there was such a large age gap but oh well) so it wasn't like he was too young to carry me around.

My brother hesitated for a while before he picked me up; he had no experience with children so he always seemed nervous around me. Lucky him I was not your average baby because he screwed up badly sometimes, at least I can give him a little bit of experience for when he gets a kid of his own hopefully.

As soon as he picked me up I put my arms around his neck and put my head on his shoulder. I could hear his hive bussing around which was surprisingly calming.

"Nii-san, can you go with me to the park please?"

I made no further attempt beyond that simple question since I knew it wouldn't work. Puppet eyes and other similar techniques did not work on him.

"Let's go then imōto."

That simple sentence was all I needed to now I had him wrapped around my finger. Even at the age of fourteen he was way to stoic, hopefully he would loosen up in the future or like most ninja and the Aburame clan just become eccentric.

My brother carried me to the edge of the compound before putting me down and gestured me to follow him. Just like him to not wanting to be seen carrying his little sister.

I followed him anyway; the entire walk was pretty uneventful. Both of us were silent but it wasn't uncomfortable, my brother seemed to always know when I wanted to think about things and let me do it without interruption.

Of things I usually think about the most common one was the timeline, the timeline of the naruto universe.

According to the source I found on the ever wonderful internet (even if it was Wikipedia) I had two wars, one invasion and an attack from the Nine Tails to look forwards to. The only consoling thing about that was that the first said war (The Third Shinobi War) would end by the time I was eleven.

I would enter the Academy next year and from there it was seven years until the Nine Tails attack, maybe I would be lucky enough to have a mission out of the village by then. It all depended on how much of an impact the current war would have on my soon to come ninja career.

Well, things always ended up wrong when I plan out my own course of action for the future, the few times it didn't was when I had only planed for the day. Even then I had a hard time sticking to it; I more times than not needed someone to figurative push me to do something (even parties, my best friend would make sure I'd go). During my time at school and the time spend at my work (which also is a school) I mostly went there because of my sense of duty.

Exactly like in those cases I would become a ninja because of my sense of duty to the clan. If I had been born in a civilian family I would probably stayed a civilian (even if I probably would regret it later) just because I was a bit lazy if given the chance.

Maybe, in the future, I could spend some time cloud gazing with Shikamaru, which would be…

Before I could finish that thought I was snapped out of it when someone ran into me.

Said someone was the same size as me so we both ended up on the ground. I was on my back and the other was positioned with their torso over my stomach.

At that point I was way too stunned to berate my brother of the amused glint in his eye and after that I was too occupied by the small green snake on my chest starring back at me.

I froze, the closest I have ever been to a snake before that moment was when petting a corn snake over six years ago at a zoo. That starring contest with the snake seemed to go on for eternity but likely only lasted for a couple of seconds before the person that ran into me (a girl my age, at least in this dream world) grabbed it and stood up.

Still not recovered from the ordeal I had no time to react before the snake and girl where gone somewhere in the crowd with a hastily thrown out apology.

I let my eyes rest on the place where she disappeared into the crowd and then back at my brother a couple of times. He still had an amused glint in his eye but I ignored it for something I thought more important at that moment.

After all, a girl with a pet snake could hardly be afraid of bugs like other girls and that made me determined to go through with my decision.

So with a glint in my eyes that could be interpreted as similar to a smile I turned to my brother and looked him in the eyes.

"Nii-san, who was that girl?"


	3. Chapter 3: First Law of 'Dream world'

**Shirushi: Aburume extraordinaire**

**Chapter 3: First law of 'Dream world'**

When it came down to it my brother didn't know who the girl was except that she was one of the orphans at the closest orphanage (there were three orphanages in Konoha apparently).

The good news was that it was easy sneaking into the orphanage and eavesdrops for information. After all it was also good training for becoming a ninja so my family and clan wouldn't complain about it.

Besides I had decided the exact moment I asked my brother bout her that she would be my friends no matter what. On the other side of their dreams, in the real world I would hardly ever initiate a friendship with someone else because I was a bit too shy, but I had sworn to myself to be braver (and more outgoing, even if I was an Aburame) in this place I had dubbed 'dream world' (it felt strange calling it naruto world when said person/character was yet to be born).

It was my sworn 'oath' to be braver that caused me to stand by my decision to befriend the girl with the pet snake even after I learned exactly who she was.

She was Anko.

You know, the proctor for the second part of the chunin exam the Konoha twelve and the sand siblings where in.

The former apprentice of the insane snake Orocimaru of the sannin.

That piece of information had me of the loop for days, both inside and outside the 'dream world'. My information about her from a time further along the timeline didn't seem to fit what I had seen of her (except her love for snakes and dango).

She was more timid than outgoing but not as bad as Hinata. Luckily she was missing said Hyūga's stalking tendencies.

My efforts to befriend her failed spectacularly anyway and not because she refused to be my friend ether, every time I tried to walk up and talk to her something got in the way.

Sometimes it was a crowd of civilians or a genin team falling of the roof while trying out roof hopping for the first time. Other times it was by some of the higher level ninja causing a commotion in the street just then, this happened more often than you would think thanks to all the eccentric ninja in this village.

It all felt like the entire elemental countries were working against me wanting to make a friend. The worst thing was that I didn't know why it happened, was it just the ordinary Aburame curse when trying to be social or was it because I as something akin to a self-insert was forbidden to befriend any character from the series with the exception of the my brother?

The fact that my so called loving brother seemed to enjoy my fruitless attempts irritated me further, I would almost bet that he was a little sadistic. So when my sixty-seventh attempt failed I went to the closest training ground and turned my frustration into useful energy with training.

It was not taijutsu training, I had only been allowed to do the basic warming up and stretching exercises for that the other stuff would have to wait until after I had gotten my own hive. The thing I was doing performing what I had learned in self-defense classes while I studied at the university.

I was so into what I was doing I didn't noticed when someone sneaked up on me (which could become a really dangerous habit for a shinobi).

"Uhm.. excuse me…

The poor girl didn't get a chance to finish before I had her on the ground in an iron grip (as much as an iron grip I could muster) and all on reflexes that had seemed to have followed me into 'dream world' from the real one.

When I realized what I had done (to the same girl I wanted to befriend no less) seconds later I hurriedly helped her up muttering apologies and at the same time lecturing her on not sneaking up on people who are training.

"So… why did you sneak up on me in the first place?"

I was curious as for the answer and now that both of us calmed down from that little episode I could finally ask. She looked embarrassed down on the ground as she tried to gather her courage to answer.

"I…wanted to ask what you were doing. Those… moves looked very… interesting."

When she finished she looked even more embarrassed that earlier but I saw a chance to befriend her right there and I would definitely take it.

"They are for self-defense. I could teach you if you want."

Anko seemed to light up at the prospect of learning and I knew that training her would be the perfect way to befriend her.

The following weeks we meet and trained and slowly I manage to befriend her. By the time Anko had learned everything I had to teach we still meet and trained for by then we were officially best friends.

Looking back at that moment two years later I could safely write down one rule to remember about 'dream world' and that is _"You are not able to befriend characters of the series intentionally only coincidentally" _

**AN: I had to skip a scene I wanted to but in this one but I'll have to put it in the next chapter so the chapters get a similar length. On the positive side, I may be able to post the next chapter two weeks from now, maybe earlier but I have too but my schoolwork first.**

**On a side note, does anyone know who her brother is? I have placed a couple of clues in the chapters. **


	4. Chapter 4 Beetle ceremony of pain

**Shirushi: Aburame extraordinaire**

**Chapter 4: Beetle ceremony of pain**

"Are you ready Shirushi?" my 'dream world' father asked me with a face that was mostly apatic but if you looked close you could see a small traces of concern.

It had been months since she had befriended Anko and my fifth birthday in this world had been a week ago. And according to the Aburame clans traditions it was time for me to recive my own hive. It was true that the contract to host a hive was made at birth (by the parents) it was at five years of age that the contract was fulfilled.

I took a step towards the family shrine where I were to receive my hive before I turned around and gave a nod in answer to his question. Both my mother and brother where on missions so my father was the only one there, not that I would have been any less nervous if they were here as well.

The first part of the ceremony had already been held and we were at the end phase. The first part was easy, only some tests/calculations on how many of those chakra sucking bugs I could control and how many my body could handle.

The last part or the one I like to call the end phase of the ceremony was simply me receiving the bugs at the family shrine, and according to my brother it was really painful when the bugs enter your body through your skin for the first time, so you can see why I would be nervous.

My father was nervous because there had been incidents where the child (me at the moment) would enter a coma from the pain and not wake up for years or at all (even if it was not that common but the risk was there), and his nerves only made it worse. My only consolation was that if I went into a coma I would probably only return to the real world.

So it was that thought that I entered the family shrine and stopped on the spot I had previously been told to. I took a few deep breaths trying to calm myself as I saw the bugs closing in on me.

To be honest I almost ran away from the shrine when I felt the bugs crawling up my legs and continue until they evenly covered all of my visible skin (I had to where minimal clothing while still being decently covert, which in my case equaled a miniskirt and a short sleeved shirt) and it was at that moment I closed my eyes.

When I later looked back at that moment I wished I had kept them open since losing one sense increases the sensitivity of the others, or something like that from what I heard and that I probably made the process more painful for myself.

My brother had definitely not lied when he told me it was painful. I could give you some metaphor or comparison to express how much it hurt if I actually knew one that could describe the pain truthfully. In my entire life (both this one and my real one) there had never been a moment where I had ever felt as much pain as at that moment. I might be unable to describe the pain of it all but the nausea that came with it could be described as when you are really sick while having your period.

Luckily for me I blacked out from the pain in what was probably seconds, even if it felt like an eternity for me.

When I emerged from the blackness that was unconsciousness I was back in the real world, in my bed at 7 o'clock in the morning as if it was only an ordinary day waking up after falling asleep in the 'dream world'.

For the next week or so I kept on living my ordinary life in the real world and every time I feel asleep all I had was ordinary dreams (some that I don't even remember) and not once did I wake up in the 'dream world'.

In the end I concluded that Shirushi ('dream world' me) was in a coma or dead.

**AN: I'm really sorry for not posting this chapter earlier (which I pretty much promised it would be) but I had a writer's block in how I should have the ceremony play out. So from experience I won't promise that the next chapter will be out before Christmas, but probably around New Years, maybe. **


	5. Chapter 5:Footprints from a Dream

**Shirushi: Aburame extraordinaire**

**Chapter 5: Footprints' from a Dream**

It had been sometime around the end of November when I had woken up in reality because of the ceremony and I had yet to return.

Christmas Eve and all that came with it had already passed, without my family starting an argument like all the previous year's thankfully and still I had no real idée of what had happened to my dream self Shirushi.

However, during the days between Christmas and New Year's Eve I noticed strange things, noting major, but things that could be explained by claiming it to be a coincident or not be noticed at all if I didn't know myself well enough.

The first thing had been related to bugs…Yes, bugs or more like insects but it was not that big a difference to me at the time.

I was winter and cold, around 22°C at noon and it was not that uncommon to find flies, spiders and ants (especially ants) trying to seek shelter from the cold and while I had never been afraid of them and it really didn't bother me that much sharing a house with them (a part of that tolerance coming from my 'dream life' as an Aburame) I had absolutely no tolerance for them entering by bed, especially when I was asleep.

So it happened that when I found an ant crawling in my bed I was anything but happy.

I slapped it away without thinking and I didn't care if it survived and landed on the floor or not. My mind irritated wished they all could just leave me alone and stay out of sight.

It could be a coincident that all the ants and flies seemed to disappear after that and that I had seen neither since. Before that I had seen them almost every day and then they just vanish without a trace, which was definitely not normal.

The second strange thing might not seem strange to you and would probably been dismissed by me as well if not put in the same context as the first thing and the dreams themselves.

It was noting remarkable really.

I only found myself having more energy than usual during winter, normally winter tended to make you lazy not full of energy. So it was out of the ordinary but not really as far as strange yet.

The strange vibes came when I beat my little brother in arm wrestling that I had NEVER done before, at least not after he went thru puberty.

Now don't get me wrong, I had trained a little self defence that I had also thaught Anko and I did enjoy swimming a lot but I had never been well trained. You would never see me training in a gym.

My brother on the other hand did enjoy computers and the games that came with them a little more than may seem healthy but at least he balanced it out with all the sports he participated in. He played floor ball*, football (even if he quit), skiing and orientation. He even participated in a ski orientation contest once.

So it's not really that surprising that he always won. He should have won time as well if not for being surprised that I somehow had gotten stronger since the last time.

At least that was what he claimed afterwards.

As it is I am sure these things are connected to my dreams, so all I can really do is wait until the new year start and hopefully find out if Shirushi was alive and in a coma or dead. If my dream self was dead I probably would never find out what all this was all about.

At least the new year was only hours away.

**AN: … I am not that fond of this chapter, it would not come out as I wanted it too but I did promise I would post this chapter around New Year. At least I get to expose if Shirushi is alive or not next chapter and hopefully who her brother is as well if all goes as planned. And it is not Torune that does not fit the timeline I hinted at in chapter two I believe.**

***I think the English word for the sport, the Swedish name for it is innebandy. **


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